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Between the 1960s and the 1980s, the world-famous Mts. Kumgang
and Myohyang and other celebrated mountains and scenic spots
were developed into tourist destinations, tourist highways from
Pyongyang via Wonsan to Mt. Kumgang, from Pyongyang to Hyangsan
and from Pyongyang to Kaesong opened to traffic, and such
service facilities as Pyongyang Koryo Hotel and Hyangsan Hotel
built in a modern way.
Between
the 1990s and the 2000s when an acute political and military
standoff prevailed on the Korean peninsula due to the US hostile
policy against the DPRK, the DPRK government promoted the work
to develop tourism, with the result that the areas in Mts.
Paektu, Chilbo, Kuwol and Jongbang were developed into wonderful
tourist destinations and Yanggakdo International Hotel and other
tourist service facilities newly built or renovated.
Today
the tourist industry in the DPRK is developing afresh under the
wise leadership of supreme leader Kim Jong Un.
In 2013 alone, the world-class Masikryong Ski Resort and
Masikryong Hotel were built in the MasikPass area on the eastern
coast of the country, and the Victorious Fatherland Liberation
War Museum, Munsu Water Park and Mirim Riding Club and other
facilities for cultural and sports tourism.
Vigorous efforts are being made to spruce up such celebrated
mountains as Paektu, Chilbo and Kumgang and the scenic spots in
the eastern and western coasts and provincial tourist resorts
into the world-class ones. New tour itineraries are being
developed in a bid to link the tourist areas.
In order to fully ensure the traffic convenience of in-bound
tourists from many countries and regions, efforts are now
directed to opening new air and sea routes. The DPRK government
welcomes foreign investment in developing the tourist
attractions of the country and the construction of
infrastructures for tourism. It is also taking positive measures
to preferentially treat and protect foreign investment
enterprises.
For the purpose of developing tourism in close cooperation with
international bodies, the DPRK joined the UNWTO on September 22,
Juche 76 (1987) and the PATA on May 14, Juche 84 (1995).
The main tourist attractions include several cities such as
Pyongyang, the capital of the
DPRK, Kaesong, Wonsan, Hamhung, Nampho, Sariwon, Sinuiju and
Chongjin, and celebrated mountains and scenic spots such as Mts.
Paektu, Myohyang, Kumgang, Chilbo and Kuwol, and Masikryong Ski
Resort, Ullim Falls and Songdowon.
In Pyongyang, tourists visit President Kim Il Sung's birthplace
in Mangyongdae, Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the supreme
sanctuary of Juche where President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim
Jong Il lie in state, Grand Monument on Mansu Hill, Tower of the
Juche Idea, Arch of Triumph, Grand People’s Study House,
Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace, the Victorious Fatherland
Liberation War Museum and Pyongyang Metro, which can be seen in
the DPRK, witnessing the real looks of socialist Korea.
Through colourful recreation activities including the walking on
beautiful Moran Hill, one of the eight scenes of Korea, visits
to mausoleums of King Tangun and King Tongmyong and other
historical relics, People’s Theatre, Pyongyang Grand Theatre,
Korean Art Gallery and other theatres and museums, and enjoyment
at the Central Zoo and Nature Museum, Munsu Water Park, Rungna
People’s Recreation Ground and Kaeson Youth Park,
they can see the beautiful sceneries of Pyongyang,
understand the long history and the developed culture and art,
and experience the cheerful life of the Korean people. In the
Mt.Paektu area they enjoy such natural wonders as the sublime
landscape of the world-famous Mt. Paektu and visit Chairman Kim
Jong Il’s native home in the Paektusan Secret Camp and other
revolutionary battle sites and revolutionary sites, which
vividly showcase the 20-year-old-long history of the arduous
anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle commanded by President Kim
Il Sung.
In Kaesong, a city of historical culture, they visit the Koryo
Museum, and the mausoleums of King Wang Kon and King Kyonghyo (Kongmin),
Ryongthong Temple and other historical relics, which have been
registered as the World Cultural Heritages, to have a rich
knowledge of the time-honoured history and splendid culture of
the Korean nation that made great contributions to the
development of the world culture and history.
Through the visit to Panmunjom and the Concrete Wall they will
keenly feel the sufferings experienced by the Korean people due
to the national division forced by outside forces. In the Mt.
Myohyang area, they visit the International Friendship
Exhibition House, which preserves the gifts presented to
President Kim Il Sung, Chairman Kim Jong Il, supreme leader Kim
Jong Un and anti-Japanese war heroine Kim Jong Suk by the world
people on the five continents, and Pohyon Temple, a typical
Buddhist temple of Korea built in the early 11th century, and
Ryongmun Cavern which presents mysterious underground sceneries.
And they may go mountaineering to Manphok Valley and Sangwon
Hermitage in Mt.Myohyang.
In the Wonsan area, they enjoy the sightseeing of Ullim Falls,
go skiing at the world-class Masikryong Ski Resort, go
sea-bathing in Songdowon, Myongsasimni and other beautiful sand
beaches on the East Sea of Korea and visit some places of
historical and cultural importance in the city of Wonsan.
In Mt.Kumgang, they can go mountaineering and sightseeing to
Kuryong Pond, Manmulsang, Lagoon Samil and other scenic places,
feasting their eyes on the beautiful natural sceneries to their
heart's content. In the Mt. Chilbo-Chongjin area, they can
relish the beauty of valleys and peaks of Mt. Chilbo, enjoy at
the seashore and go spa-bathing, and visit several places of
culture in the city of Chongjin.
In the areas of Nampho, Sariwon and Mt. Kuwol, they tour the
West Sea Barrage, an epitome of the DPRK’s economic power, and
the places of historical and cultural importance such as the
Three Tombs in Kangso and Tokhung-ri Mural Tomb registered as
the World Cultural Heritages, and enjoy the beautiful sceneries
of Mt. Kuwol.
In the Sinuiju area, they visit several historical relics and
educational and cultural establishments in the city.
The tour of the DPRK varies in tour itineraries from one day to
over 15 nights. In recent years, the demand for tour of the DPRK
is on the rapid increase. Various thematic tourism such as
cultural tour, sports tour, tour for aircraft enthusiasts and
cycling tour, in particular, are popular among tourists. A
variety of itineraries in the cultural tour include the
enjoyment of performances given by the State Symphony Orchestra
and the art squads of schoolchildren, revolutionary operas and
acrobatics; the visits to history museums and historical relics,
Mansudae Art Studio, and Korean Art Gallery; and trying of the
Korean traditional food and the national customs.
Such itineraries appeal to the tourists who are deeply
interested in the culture and history of Korea.
Mountaineering in Mts. Paektu, Myohyang, Kumgang and
Chilbo; enjoyment and participating in several international
sports games in the
DPRK; playing of friendly matches with local sports amateurs;
visit to several kinds of aircrafts, taking photographs and
getting flights by aviation enthusiasts; and cycling in
different parts of the DPRK while feasting their eyes on the
picturesque mountains and rivers—these itineraries of the
sports tour help tourists enjoy the natural sceneries and
satisfy their own tastes in sports.
While visiting cooperative farms, stock-breeding farms
and factories, they can witness the efforts of the
Korean people who have turned out in the drive to build a
Socialist thriving nation. This is also popular among tourists.
The
tourists are offered a high level of guiding service in English,
Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German, Spanish and French as well
as good traffic service. The
National Tourism Administration of the DPRK is making active
efforts to provide excellent services for all people who hope to
visit the country with a friendly feeling. It will, in future,
too, continue to make persevering efforts so that more and more
tourists can have a pleasant time during their stay in the DPRK.
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